Wissler

What Wissler does

Wissler is a German manufacturer of retail display mannequins and visual merchandising figures, founded in 1925 and headquartered in Blaubeuren, Germany, operating as a subsidiary of Bohnacker Ladeneinrichtungen GmbH (the Bohnacker Group). The company produces hand-laminated fiberglass mannequins using a special synthetic resin (Kunstharz) with anti-soil sealing coatings, marketed as individually unique pieces ("Unikat") reflecting intentional variation in color gradient and fiberglass structure.

Wissler's product portfolio spans fashion mannequins (Impulse Fashion, Elements, Imperial, Cotton & Wood, Hindsgaul, Hans Boodt), sports mannequins (Impulse Sport with subcategories covering cycling, skiing, yoga, football, water sports, running, gym/fitness; Sports Union; Timeless), torsos, accessories (deco heads, swimwear hangers, ghost/packshot mannequins), plus size and kids variants, and orthopedic display figures. Notable proprietary innovations include an "Easy-to-Dress" invisible tube stand system for workwear presentation and the IMPULSE CARVER IM32 and IMPULSE BACKFLIP IM34 alpine skiing mannequins launched in 2024 as the first dynamic carving and freestyle ski display figures of their kind. The company also offers customized mannequins developed by 3D designers starting from over 100 standard poses.

The business model is B2B direct sales of hardware (mannequins and display figures) plus professional services for bespoke customization. Pricing is quote-based and explicitly excluded from public VAT, with the offer restricted to Gewerbetreibende (tradespeople/business customers). Distribution runs through a direct e-commerce storefront (wissler.com) in German and English, a secondary marketplace listing on shopdirect-online.de, and trade show presence (Eurobike 2023, Vitra Design Museum, Salzburg Festival). Customer segments are horizontally distributed across fashion retail, sports retail, orthopedics, workwear and tools, kids fashion, and specialty outdoor (hunting, fishing, equestrian). Sales and marketing is led by Thomas Wimmer (Head of Sales and Marketing).

Name

Wissler

Legal name

Bohnacker Ladeneinrichtungen GmbH

Website

https://wissler.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1925

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Wissler is a German manufacturer (founded 1925, subsidiary of Bohnacker Ladeneinrichtungen GmbH) producing hand-laminated fiberglass retail display mannequins and bespoke 3D-customized display figures for fashion, sports, workwear, and specialty retail customers across Europe.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Blaubeuren

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Mannequin Sales: Direct sales of mannequins, fashion figures, sports figures, torsos, and display accessories to B2B customers including fashion retailers, sports stores, and specialty shops
2. Customized Solutions: Bespoke mannequin creation based on customer-specific requirements, 3D design services, and custom positioning for specialized applications such as workwear and tools presentation

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Wissler Mannequins manufactures and sells hand-laminated fiberglass mannequins and display figures for retail visual merchandising. The product portfolio covers fashion mannequins, sports figures, torsos, busts, and display accessories across collections such as Impulse, Elements, Imperial, Cotton & Wood, Hindsgaul, and Sports Union. The company also offers customized mannequin design and 3D-based bespoke solutions for specialized retail and workwear applications.

Product overview

Wissler Mannequins is a mannequin and display figure manufacturer that operates as a single-brand portfolio company producing retail display solutions. The core product lines include Impulse (Fashion, Kids, Plus Size, Sport, Torsi), Elements (semi-transparent fiberglass fashion), Imperial (vintage-style fabric-covered), Cotton & Wood (busts with wooden arms), Hindsgaul (Danish design), and Sports Union (graphite grey sports figures). The portfolio also includes torsos, accessories (deco, swim wear hangers), packshot mannequins, and customizable/bespoke mannequin services. Recent innovations include Easy-to-Dress mannequins for workwear and world-first alpine skiing mannequins (IMPULSE CARVER IM32, IMPULSE BACKFLIP IM34). The company is part of the Bohnacker Group and operates from Blaubeuren, Germany.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Impulse: Sporty fashion mannequin collection including Impulse Sport, Impulse Fashion, Impulse Curvy/Plus Size, and Impulse Kids variants.
• Elements
• Imperial
• Cotton & Wood
• Hindsgaul
• Sports Union
• Timeless
• Easy-to-Dress
• Hans Boodt

Products and services

• Impulse Fashion Timeless fashion mannequin collection available in various poses, serving as the core collection for fashion retailers. Includes Kids and Plus Size variants.
• Impulse Kids Sporty, perky children's mannequins for trendy fashion retail, matching the Impulse Fashion and Sports collection.
• Impulse Plus Size (Curvy) Mannequins designed for plus-size and curvy fashion, reflecting diverse body types in retail window displays.
• Elements High-quality fashion series in semi-transparent fiberglass look, made with special synthetic resin in hand-laminated lightweight construction with anti-soil sealing. Each figure is unique.
• Imperial Modern figures in vintage style with fabric linen cover and silk-matte black surface finish, designed for elegant merchandise presentation.
• Cotton & Wood Contemporary bust program with slender body in modern vintage style, featuring flexible wooden arms with joints up to fingertips, interchangeable elements, and natural cotton styling.
• Hindsgaul Danish design mannequins from a pioneer in mannequin development and manufacturing, offering figures in many designs including Coy, Roy, Roccia, Diva, High Gloss, Pure, Raw, and Silhouettes.
• Impulse Sport Dynamic sports mannequins for various activities including Walking/Hiking/Outdoor, Bike, Yoga/Gymnastics, Football, Ball Sports, Water Sports, Winter Sports, Universal Sport, Gym/Fitness, and Running.
• Sports Union Sports figures available in graphite grey, including torsos and full-body mannequins for athletic apparel display.
• Torsi Impulse Sportive torsos available in various configurations with or without leg attachment and head, in modern grey.
• Packshot Ghost mannequin for product photography and packshot displays.
• Badebügel (Swim Wear Hangers) Hangers specifically designed for swimwear presentation in retail environments.
• IMPULSE CARVER IM32 Dynamic carving display-mannequin designed for realistic presentation of alpine skis and apparel in retail environments. World-first alpine skiing mannequin.
• IMPULSE BACKFLIP IM34 Spectacular freestyle display-mannequin for realistic presentation of alpine skis and clothing at eye level in minimal space.
• Easy-to-Dress Mannequin Revolutionary mannequin for workwear with ingenious stand system enabling easy dressing and undressing, featuring an invisible tube system extending from back to chest for presenting various trouser shapes including high-waist jeans and dungarees.
• Customized Mannequins Tailor-made mannequins developed by 3D designers with over 100 standard poses as base positions, customized to individual customer needs for realistic workwear and tools presentation in retail environments.

Quantifiable outcome

• Sports mannequins play a key role in attracting customers' attention, increasing interest in the products and ultimately boosting sales

Named customers3 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Eurobike FrankfurtminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 27 June 2023Wissler presented their dynamic biker mannequin at the Eurobike trade show in Frankfurt. As part of the Bohnacker Group, the company used the event to showcase sports mannequins to the cycling and outdoor industry.
• Salzburg FestivalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWissler developed custom figures for Leoš Janáček's 'Katja Kabanowa' opera production at the Salzburg Festival. The mannequins had to fulfill specific functional requirements for the theatrical performance, demonstrating the company's ability to create customized solutions for demanding applications.
• Vitra Design MuseumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWissler mannequins are featured in multiple installations at the renowned Vitra Design Museum. The museum selected their figures to bring creative and inspiring exhibitions to life, representing significant design credibility and industry recognition for the company.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Bonaveri: Italian heritage mannequin maker with high-end fashion and museum clientele. Closely aligned with Wissler's premium positioning, handcraft manufacturing, and design-led brand identity.
• Hindsgaul Mannequins: Danish mannequin brand distributed by Wissler but operating as an independent design house. Overlaps with Wissler's premium fashion and visual-merchandising offering and competes for the same Scandinavian and European accounts.
• Adel Rootstein: UK-based heritage mannequin manufacturer known for artistic, design-led figures. Competes directly with Wissler in premium fashion and theatrical display, with similar century-level brand equity.
• Bernstein Display: German display fixture and mannequin producer for retail and exhibition environments. Competes head-to-head with Wissler in the German-speaking market on price and product breadth.
• Goldsmith Mannequins: UK-based mannequin and visual display manufacturer serving fashion and department-store retail. Comparable B2B sales motion and product mix to Wissler's fashion mannequins.
• Hans Boodt Mannequins: Dutch premium mannequin manufacturer serving fashion and sports retailers worldwide with bespoke and catalog display figures. Directly competes with Wissler in the same product category, customer base, and premium B2B channel.
• Atelier Mannequins: European manufacturer producing mannequins and display busts for fashion and luxury retail. Overlaps with Wissler's customization-led, premium-customer focus.
• Mannequins Italia: Italian mannequin producer supplying fashion retailers across Europe. Competes with Wissler in similar fashion and specialty-retail customer segments with comparable catalog and bespoke offerings.
• Almax Mannequins: Italian manufacturer of mannequins and display busts for fashion retail. Comparable product category, B2B customer base, and customization-heavy business model.
• Posen Projekte: German visual merchandising and mannequin specialist serving retail display customers. Directly competes in the DACH region and offers comparable fashion and specialty retail display solutions.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Wissler-Mannequins

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Wissler